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Swarovski Jewelry MNGOP illegally using Capitol

In the latest in a long running string of embarrassments for the MNGOP, an email sent by Senate staffer Maureen Watson indicates the party is using a room just off the Senate floor for campaign Swarovski Jewelry work.

That’s a violation of Minnesota law, which states: “An employee shall not use state time, supplies or state owned property and equipment for the employee’s private interests.”

The email indicates the Republican Senate Caucus has been supplying lunches to volunteers who drop by Senate Room 208 around 11 in the morning. In exchange, volunteers grab a pile of campaign literature that they use to door knock in support of Republican Senate candidates. The Lunch Hour Lit Drops have apparently been going on for some time in fact, more were planned for this week, though plans may have changed now that the practice has drawn media attention.

Wanted to thank all of you who were able to help out this week with our lunch hour lit dropping and phoning! We had over 40 people out over the three days so super turn out. Senator Lillie and Senator Daley have both emailed me thanking you for volunteering. It really let’s [sic] them know we are in this together and is the incentive they need to hit the streets and door knock again!

We have a similar plan in store for next week going out lit dropping on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Please let me know when you would like to join us. If you are new to our Caucus and to our Lunch Hour Lit Drops please consider joining us. It really helps out our Caucus and it is fun. If you have someone to pair up with great if not, just show up in 208 about 10:45/11 and you can join one of the groups. It is a great way to get to know your co workers.

Of course as always, lunches will be ready for you in Room 208 starting at 10:45.

Also if you don’t have a lot or any comp time or vacation consider going out one day a week. If you take your lunch and breaks at your desk the rest of the week you should be able to get about 2 hours for a lit drop on one day without losing any hours. I know that there are several of you Swarovski Jewelry from our staff out on Sa Swarovski Jewelry lary Savings doing the Lord’s work on campaigns near and far I just don’t want to take you off the email list since you are still a part of our family! We miss you!

Undercover camera footage later showed folks walking into Room 208 empty handed, but walking out with brown sacks of lunch.

Lyden strolled into Watson’s office to question her about the email and the footage, but she didn’t want any part of him.

With an anxious look in her eyes, she said, unconvincingly, “I’m not organizing [lunches] here.” She then took a call on her cell phone and walked away from her desk without saying a word.

“A group of people getting together on their own time for a sack lunch is not an infraction of Senate rules,” said SRC spokesman Peter Winiecki, according to a Pioneer Press report.

Martin said that if nothing else, the SRC is guilty of stupidity.

“If this is not corruption, it must be incompetence at the least,” he said. Raising further bewilderment is the fact that the SRC actually has an office in the nearby Kelly Inn, meaning the MNGOP could easily conduct its train wreck from a space near the C Swarovski Jewelry apitol without getting itself in trouble.

Watson currently works as an assistant for Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem. She used to work as a legislative assistant for Amy Koch, the Michael Brodkorb tainted former Speaker.